What happened
The 35-11 Minnesota Lynx are preparing to host the 29-18 New York Liberty for a pivotal WNBA postseason series at the Target Center. This highly anticipated playoff matchup brings together two of the most successful franchises from the regular season, featuring two of the top overall records in the league. Entering the opening game of the series on their home court, Minnesota is currently listed as a 6.5-point home favorite over the visiting Liberty squad.
Why it matters
The teams previously met three times during the regular season, setting the stage for an intense and familiar playoff battle. New York proved to be a difficult opponent for Minnesota throughout the year, with the Liberty winning two of those three head-to-head contests. This series will prominently showcase high-powered scoring from both sides of the court. The Liberty offense currently averages an impressive 89.5 points per game, while the Lynx offense operates at an even higher production level, scoring 91.0 points per contest.
By the numbers
Recent history between the two teams favors the visiting squad, as New York won the most recent meeting by a decisive 93-81 margin on September 18. Despite that late-season victory by the Liberty, the Lynx secured the significantly better overall regular-season record at 35-11 compared to New York's 29-18 mark. The current 6.5-point spread in favor of Minnesota reflects the team's strong performance over the course of the entire season and their advantage at the Target Center.
What to watch next
The opening game of this WNBA postseason series is officially scheduled to tip off this coming Sunday at 2:00 PM ET. The matchup between the Lynx and the Liberty will be available to a national television audience, with the live broadcast airing on ABC.